On New Years Eve I embarked for Sucre, the capital city of Bolivia. I expected a fairly light travel day as the distance from point A and point B was not that far; my expectations were not met. Starting at 3:00AM and arriving at 10:00PM all but knocked me out. Perhaps this year I would celebrate from the comfort of bed. Of course, upon arrival the hostel was lively and quickly a trip to the main square materialized.
There are two stories to tell of my time spent in Sajama National Park. The overarching tale is one of a place seldom traveled. An untamed, wild land that distorts perspective with its scale and challenges wits with its weather and terrain. The subplot of this epic is the truth turned legend of Pico the dog; and the life threatening misadventure of this 13 lb. Shih Tzu.
From southern Peru you can hop on an overnight bus, cross the Bolivian border, get your stamp at immigration, and be on your way. This is the experience travelers from Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and most other developed countries will have. Unfortunately, if your passport is blue and says United States on it, things will not be so easy. U.S. - Bolivian relations have been stressed for decades. Outspoken Bolivian disapproval of U.S. policies, questionable U.S. intervention on Bolivian soil in the name of the “war on drugs” and general governance disagreements have not fostered an atmosphere of trust between the two. It’s quite hard for a Bolivian visitor to receive a tourist visa for the U.S. and thus, in reciprocity, Bolivia treats visitors from the states in the same manner.
Cusco is the tourism hub of Peru, and for good reason. The city is quite unique, the central downtown rests in a large valley, the remainder radiates out and up the surrounding mountains. At night the hills light up like stadium seating shining flashbulbs on you from all angles. History and fast food, luxury hotels and stray dogs coexist in harmony. Where coffee shops and fake alpaca sweater vendors now stand, the Incan king once sat upon his throne. Incan building foundations stand strong, supporting the Spanish colonial buildings which reside in the late civilizations capital. It is the jumping off point for any trip to Machu Picchu and the historic relevance of the city is unrivaled in South America. Cusco, in its modern form, is built for travelers, loaded with great food, coffee, hostels, markets, and entertainment options. Upon arrival it was clear that this was a place I could hang around for a while.
From a travelers perspective the city of Puno is fairly lacking...The food is standard at best, accommodation options are limited, and overall there isn’t much too see. Never the less the city pops up on just about any Peruvian itinerary. People visit the city for the singular reason of Lake Titicaca; and on first inspection, I was not impressed.
